Anglers also should be aware that there is no closed season and no size or creel limits for invasive finfish, and that bowfishing equipment is authorized for taking them in the state’s waters.

Snakeheads have been found in Sussex County’s Nanticoke River, Broad Creek and Deep Creek, as well as New Castle County’s Nonesuch Creek. Grass carp have also been documented in the Nanticoke River and its tributaries. Flathead catfish have been caught in the Brandywine River and the Chesapeake & Delaware Canal.

Anglers who catch an invasive species should dispatch the fish rather than returning it to the water, document the catch either by freezing it or taking a clear photo, and then contact the DNREC at (302) 735-8652 to report the catch.